On Thursday, the American Hospital Association awarded Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, Ill., with its top national award quality and safety.
The AHA-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize is awarded to one hospital nationwide in recognition of an organization's commitment to achieving high quality, safe and patient-centered care hospitalwide.
"We aspire to be a national leader in healthcare — that's our vision," Charles Callahan, PhD, COO of the hospital's parent organization Memorial Health System, Springfield, Ill., told The State Journal-Register.
Two driving factors behind the recognition are the hospital's 70,000-square-foot Memorial Center for Learning and Innovation and its Lean Six Sigma program designed to improve patient safety. According to Memorial officials, the program has saved the hospital $30 million while reducing harm for patients.
Dr. Callahan said, "This award from the American Hospital Association is really important because it tells us we're working on the right things that are of importance in patient safety and quality nationally, and that the results we're getting are competitive on the national level."
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